The Brookhaven leader., 1887-10-20

| passages in that letter which justified
the remarks in your address, and tC
return to me that might know ex.
actly upon what your criticism was
based.
You have not returned the printed
copy of the letter marked as reques-
ted and you have disappointed the
hope that / entertained that you
would on IA careful perusal of that
letter appreciate the injustice you had
done to me and make due reparation in
manner as public as had been the
attack.
You attempt to justify your remarks
about me by reference to what the
Hon. Mr.. Reagan wrote and what,
as reported to you, the salOOn-keep-
ers said and did, but am no mora
responsible for one than the other,
and though zealOts might distort the
facts and use the documents of Il
heated canvass to misrepresent me
| am sure you would not and could
not intend to employ such weapons.
| just wrote to you from desire to
avoid public discussion with you.
That desire remains. Itdepends upon
you whether shall be driven to the
alternative of presenting my case be-
fore the public.
Thanking you for your kind express
sion | am, with reciprocal friendship,
respectfully and truly yours,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
BROoKHAvEN, Miss, Aug q, 1887.
Hon. Jeffel son Davis:
DEAR SIR-Yours of the Goth inst.
received on my return home from an
absence of some days. Through an
inadvertence the printed copy of your
letter to Ex-GOv. Lubbock of Texas
was not returned in my letter of the
10th inst. / herewith inclose it, and
regret that my reply to your favor of
the 18th inst. was not satisfactory. 1t
occurred to me that such an eXpla-
nation would be more acceptable to
you than marked passages in your
printed letter, without note or com
ment. With assurances of personal
regard and well wishes l am respect
fully and truly yours.
CHAs. B. GALLOWAY.
1t will be seen from the above that
intead of my arraigning or attacking
you, spoke of your virtues, abilities
and history in sentiments / still cher
ish without rebate, albeit you charac-
terize them in your open letter "as the
garlands with which in the Olden time
a sacrifcial offering was decorated"
and charge me with "persistence i'll
uniustifable assailment." Respect
full difference of opinion should be
courteously regarded and never be-
come an occasion of personal dis
agrecment-ands shall not on my part.
Only infallibility can claim eXemp-
ton from variant views. You antici-
pated criticisms of the Texas letter,
and in advance ,denOminated them "the
objurgations'' Of''th followers of the
popularism of the day" This impatien-
ce ofopposing opinion kindly expressed
and intended, is therefore difficult of
discernment. 1t is possible attribu-
able to the unforeseen free use and
shameless abuse of your great name
by the saloon elements of society
ranks in which your views have not
heretofore been familiar and pop
ular.
Another fact is evident from the
above. In my address there was
little reference to the doctrines pro-
mulgated in your Texas letter, but
rather lament at its effects both upon
your reputation and the cause OF
morality, and for the boast of the
whisky traffic in having such cham
pion. True you made no specific ref
erence to the "saloons," but they
quickly OWNED the logic of your let
ter and have placed you in the fore
front of their leaders. One "must
readily perceive" therefore, that in
stead of dodging an issue as you in
innate, my first letter was fully ex-
planatory of my address, and an
absolute justification of every senti-
ment therein expressed.
Your "open letter" contains much
that is irrelevant, but as Importance
properly attaches to your every utter
ance, in the interest of growing
moral reform shall make respectful
responses and shall not "answer by
irrelevant catch-wOrds." You call at
tention to the distinction betweer
personal and inalienable rights, which
the government was bound to protect
and privileges which the government
might refuse or grant as the public
welfare should require" You further
simplify the question by saying thai
'to keep a saloon is not a personal
right but a privilege" And agair
you wisely say ~ hold it to be one O
the inailenable rights of man to dc
as he pleases with his own, provided
he inflicts no injury on another
A clear understanding of these basa
principles will so illuminate the Who'll.
subject that no one need er
therein. / understand then, that yOl
eliminate the saloon business from thu
class of "personal inalienable rights,
and of course, because Of its eyi
| effects as vnn hold a mans right 20